Schedule for compiling statistics.



No. 740,041. EATEN'TED SEPT. 29., 1903;

` 0. E. PIDGIN.

SCHEDULE FOR COMP-ILING STATISTICS.

l E AEPLIQATIONIILED JUNE 23.1899.

f `No MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

num.

- 'y WITNEEIEEE Fi l` VENTUR 2f/QW j @kmh/1E) i fue mums PETERS co. Fno'mumo., WASHINGTON. D. c.

ivo. 740,041'.

UNITED STATES atented September 279, 1903;.

PATENT OFFICE.

SCHEDULE FOR COMPILING STATISTICS.

SPECIFICATION forming-*part of Letters Patent No. 740,041, dated September 29, 1903,

Serial No. 721,650. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern..-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. PIDGIN, of Boston, in the county of'Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and' nsus-work to provide the enumerators in the several districts with large printed sheets adapted to receive in vertical columns the names of a large number of individuals'and the data relating thereto, the data for each person being Written Vin a space extending transversely across the sheet. After these sheets have been sent to the proper officials clerks are employed to count the number of individuals and prepare statistical tables showing those who have the same characteristics. The data which the enumerator has to place on the printed sheets comprise, in addition to the name of an individual, the residence, length of residence, sex, race, conjugal and social condition, place of birth, parent nativity, illiteracy, and occupation, and they are termed statistical items.

In the compilation of statistical tables it is necessary for the clerk to transfer the items relating to each individual to other schedules or' to cards in order that they may be properly classified and counted, after which the original schedules are indexed and preserved. Where the items are transferred to cards, it has been usual to indicate them by punching and perforating the cards according to some standard and then by a suitable device to count the perforations singly or in combinations. The initial transferring of the items requires a large force of clerks, since each and every item must be indicated ortransferred,and where the population numbers upwardl of seventy millions, as in the United States, the timerequired to accomplish the transfer is long and the costis great.

According to my invention the schedule which is furnished the enumerator consists plurality of diagrams, each of which is adapted to receive all the data relating to each individual except the name. The diagrams are arranged in rows longitudinally and transversely of the sheet, and portions of them are adapted to be severed from the sheet to form separate cards, each bearing a symbol or number similar to those on the sheet to iden'- tify it as being a part of said sheet. These cards4 may be sorted and classified according to any suitable scheme. Usually I divide them according to sexes and then according to place of birth,whether in the United States or elsewhere. These are again subdivided according to the age period of the person, and the cards showing the same age period are classified according to color and race and conjugal condition. In this wayit is possible to obtain in a short time the number of persons in a town, city, or state who possess the same characteristics. yEach of the final subdivisions of the cards shows all of the individuals of the same sex, place of birth, color and race, and conjugal condition. The original sheets from which the cards bearing the diagrams are removed may bel preserved, and after the compilation of the tables is compaper placed on the back of the sheet.

In order to secure the secrecy and confidential nature of the census and prevent the clerks who handle the cards from learning information of a private nature reported by the enumerator, that portion of the diagram in which is written the surname and Christian name of the individual is left on the large sheet, so that the cards do not show the names of the person to whom the data thereon relate. The cards may be severed from the sheets by means of dies, or else the cards may be bounded by lines of perforations, so that they can be torn out, and for'the purpose of preserving the large sheets after the cards have been removed the spaces between the cards are relatively wide, the last vertical row being separated from the adjacent row by a space that is wider than the others.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents the large sheet from which the cards may be severed. Fig. 2 represents one of the cards.

plete the cards may be replaced in any suitable way, as by gumming them to strips of.

' sus was taken.

` vidual.

The sheet or schedule is indicated by 1, and across the top are the number of the sheet, the supervisors district-number, the enumerators district-number, and the name of the city or town in which the persons enumerated on the sheet were living at the time the cen- Upon the face of this schedule or sheet are printed a plurality of dagrams or forms, a portion of each diagram being surrounded by a printed line or by a row of perforations 2. Each diagram or form provides spaces to receive all the data which it is desired to collect concerning the indi- These forms are printed in rows transversely and longitudinally of the sheet, and it will be observed that the longitudinal row at the right side is separated from the second row by a space which is wider than the space between the second and third rows, this being to strengthen the sheet after the cards have been severed or removed. Each of the cards is indicated at 3, one of them being shown in Fig. 2. Spaces are left by the diagram on each card to receive the name of the State, the number of the supervisors district, the number ofthe enumerators district, and the population-number-thatis,the number of the person with reference to those previously enumerated-and similar spaces are lefton the sheet in the diagram for similar` information, so that the card maybe returned to its proper place. On the sheet is written above each card the surname of each individual and the Christian name, so that when the card is removed all the data concerning that person except his name is given thereon. Spaces are provided on the card for the enumerator to write in the items or facts which he collects-such as whether or not the individual is a ratable poll, a legal voter, a naturalized voter,the colorand race, the ability to read and write, whether or not the individual is an alien, the age, place of birth, conjugal condition, birthplace of father, length of residence, birthplace of mother, and occupation, together with other information as to whether or not the individual owns a home or a farm and the number of months employed during the year. Each card also has spaces in which the clerksin the census-office may indicate the occupation by suitable symbols according to a pre-arranged schedule or list. In the space allotted to information concerning the sexes the census officer may stamp the word male in blue ink or female in red ink, so that the cards for the sexes may be readily distinguished by the color of ink used, and this is of great aid when the cards are Subsequently divided into classifications, as previously described. As I have hereinbefore stated, the cards may be removed by cutting them from the page or sheet with a die, or else they may be removed by weakening the sheets by lines of perforations; but in any event the diagrams are so grouped that the skeleton of the sheet which is left is relatively strong and may be bound in a book,

the diagrams being spaced inward from the edges for that purpose.

It will be observed that the first line of spaces, counting' from the top in each of the cards, has indicating-spaces, all but one of which correspond to the indicating-spaces just above each cardthat is to say, above each card on the sheet are printed the words State, Sup. Dis, (supervisors district,) Enum. Dis, (enumerators district,) and Pop. No, (population-number.) These same abbreviations appear on each card, so that each card may be readily replaced in its proper position, since the number in the two sets of spaces must correspond.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the vmodes of its use, I declare that what I claim isl. A schedule of the character described having printed on its face a plurality ofsimilar diagrams, each of which has indicated spaces for the name of an individual and for data concerning said individual, the portion containing said data being divided from the` sheet by a perforated or weakened line so that the same may be detached to form a card, leaving that portion having the name of the individual, whereby said card or detached portion will not of itself disclose the identity of said individual.

2. A schedule of the character described having printed on its face a plurality of similar diagrams each of which provides spaces for data relating to an independent unit or individual, a part of each diagram being divided from the sheet by a perforated or weakened line so that the same may be detached to form an independent card, whereby said card or detached portion will not ofitself disclose the identy ofthe unit or individual, said card being adapted to be returned to its original relation with said schedule.

3. A schedule of the character described having printed on its face a plurality of similar diagrams arranged in transverse and longitudinal rows separated by blank unperforated spaces, each of said diagrams being provided with spaces appropriately designated for data relating to an independent unit or individual, a part of each diagrambeing divided from the sheet by a perforated or weakened line so that the same may be detached to form an independent card, whereby said card or detached portion will not ofitself disclose the identity of the individual or unit, said card being adapted to be returned to its original relation with said schedule.

In testimony whereof I have aflxed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. PIDGIN.

Witnesses:

A. W. HARRISON, CHARLES THOMPSON.

IOO

IIO 

